Love Never Fades Away
by Anjira
Summary: The Story begins after Yuna and company leaves the Farplane and after the fight with Vegnagun. Yuna had already met up with Bahamut's Fayth, and she had requested that Tidus be brought back to life. It now has been roughly five months since then...
1. Life Bringer

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
"I...just can't...keep this up anymore. My magic doesn't seem to work. I am afraid that I will have to tell her that he can never come back." A tiny child sighed. He was wearing a velvet cloak, lined with gold ribbons and shiny diamonds. The child looked as if he had just come out of a storm, for his body was drenched with sweat. Lying before him was what seemed to be a human's body, covered in torn cloths, in which he was trying to revive by using his powers. The child had been trying for hours, but all he gained was pain and frustration. Overcome by sadness and misfortune, the child then decided to take a break by sitting upon a soft bed of flowers that lied before him. "These flowers...would be a good place to rest in..." The child then slowly began to shut his eyes, and almost fell into a deep slumber, until he heard a tiny moan coming from the human's corpse. The child then got up as fast as a racehorse, and rushed to its side. The child then lifted the cloths off of it's face, and revealed it to be a young man, with short, blond hair and tan colored skin. The man then began to open up his eyes, and they appeared to be the same color as the sky. "Well, you are finally back, Tidus."  
  
Slowly, Tidus's eyes began to focus in on the child, and he then jumped back in shock and disbelief. "It is alright, I won't bite." The child then smiled as he began to take off the remaining cloths that covered Tidus's body. Once revealed, Tidus could now see the same blue shirt, black shorts, and silver necklace that he wore before he faded away on the airship two years ago.  
  
"How can I be alive? I was just a dream, wasn't I? And all of the fayth disappeared after Sin was defeated, so why am I here now?" Tidus proclaimed, but the child just stared back at him. Just then, Tidus recalled just who this child was. He was the fayth that created him and his father back in the re-created Zanarkand, and the fayth was the only being who could bring him back to life.  
  
"Well, a young woman wished for me to bring you back to life, and after all of the favors that she had done for me and my people, I simply could not refuse her request. So, enjoy yourself, for my work here has been completed." Just then, the fayth began to glow a bluish-green color, and started to disintegrate. Tidus the leaped off of the ground, and ran after the fayth, but it was too late.  
  
"Damn. I never got the chance to thank him." Tidus then glanced up at the sky as he watched his 'life bringer' fade away into Spira's skyline. "Well, there isn't anything to do now except get the hell outta here!" Tidus's face then began to glow as brightly as the sun as he raced through the Farplane, searching for a way to escape and see his love, Yuna, again. However, little did Tidus know that this was the beginning of an adventure that would cause him to risk losing everything that he cared about. 


	2. A Chance Meeting Under the Moonlight

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.

"Geez. Didn't they make any doors in this place? It's like a maze that has no ending to it." Tidus grumbled as he slowly dragged his body around the Farplane. Little did he know that he had been walking around for 4 days, without food or water. His stomach growled as if it had an angry lion lying inside, and his mouth was as dry as the Bikanel Desert. Eventually, Tidus became as weak as a newborn Spirian, and collapsed onto a nearby shrub. "I...will find you, Yuna. Someday." With those final words, Tidus's eyes began to quickly slip in and out of consciousness, and soon, he fell back into his own little dream world that he had just escaped from earlier. A few minutes later, two strange figures passed by, noticed Tidus, and rushed over to help him.  
  
"Do you think that he is still alive?" A young woman asked as she gazed upon Tidus's body. This woman had long, brown hair that never seemed to end, and wore a dark blue dress. She had hazel-colored eyes, and her long boots blended in with the earth below.  
  
"Yeah, I think so. I can hear him breathing, but faintly, and his heart is still pumping through his chest. Looks like he fainted from staying in the sun for too long. As long as he gets some food and water, he should be fine." A young man responded as he leaned over Tidus's body. This fellow looked similar to Tidus, with his blond hair and blue eyes, but he seemed darker and more mature. He had on a red checkered-colored shirt, black shorts, and yellow shoes that seemed to shine like gold. The young man then took a canteen out of his pocket, and poured the water inside of it into Tidus's mouth. Tidus then began to choke up some saliva, and slowly came back to the real world. "You gave us quite a scare there, pal, but you'll be okay." The young man cheered.  
  
"Wait. Do I know you?" Tidus asked faintly. He was still half out of it, and could only see a slight image of the man that stood before him.  
  
"I would think so! I mean, how many years did we play Blitzball for the Zanarkand Abes together?" The young man proclaimed.  
  
"And how could you forget me? We've known each other since elementary school, and you have seen almost all of my concerts!" The young woman responded as she walked closer to Tidus. "We're your best friends!"  
  
"It can't be! Lenne and Shuyin, is that really you?" Tidus shouted. It had been over 1000 years since he has seen these two people, and he couldn't of been happier.  
  
"It's been a long time, Tidus. Lenne and myself missed you very much, but the real question is, what ARE you doing on the Farplane?" Shuyin protested as he poked Tidus in the arm with his finger. "You seem to still be alive, unlike us." Shuyin then took Tidus's hand and placed it upon his body. Tidus's hand went right through him, like water running through a creek. Tidus then realized that his friends were still dead, and could never come back with him to Spira.  
  
"Well, during these past few years, I have gone through a lot of changes. It was like I was on some sort of merry-go-round, forever spinning around in Spira. After you guys passed away during the Bevelle/Zanarkand war, a humongous monster named Sin came, and dragged me through time. I then ended up on Besaid Island, 1000 years in the future. There, I met a Summoner, and thus began my quest as being her guardian. We fought many battles, and won all of them, but during our quest, I found out the truth to my existence. I was just a dream, created by the fayth, in order to stop Sin. Once Sin was defeated, the fayth would stop dreaming, and I would cease to exist. Even knowing this, I helped her fight this horrible being because I loved her, and I could no longer see her and her people in pain. Thus, I helped to bring along the Eternal Calm, at the price of my own life, but it did not matter, not as long as she was still alive. For the last two years, I have been in a deep sleep, that is, until the fayth came, revived me, and told me that I was wished back to life by the very same summoner that I cherished. Just knowing that she still loved me ignited my heart into a passionate ball of flames, and that I why I have been frantically running around the Farplane, searching for a way to see her." Tidus explained as a slight tear began to drip down his right cheek.  
  
"That story was so touching, Tidus. It's great that you finally found someone to love, and who loves you back. That's how me and Mr. Serious are, right Shuyin?" Lenne asked, but Shuyin seemed as if his world had been shattered. His eyes were half shut, and he slowly walked away from both of them.  
  
"C'mon, enough of these mushy love stories. Let's go get him something to eat. He looks weak." Shuyin commanded. Lenne nodded, and placed Tidus under her shoulder.  
  
"Hey Lenne, what's up with Shuyin? Was it something I said?" Tidus asked.  
  
"No. Shuyin must be in a bad mood over something. He has been acting up lately, so don't mind him. After dinner, he should be back to normal." Lenne responded as she carried Tidus off farther into the Farplane. Eventually, they reached an area of the Farplane where pink-colored trees grew strawberries, and a purple waterfall flowed down a cliff that seemed to touch the very heavens above.  
  
"This place is simply stunning. I could never dream up something this beautiful and mind-blowing. Hey, I could even consider living here one day!" Tidus exclaimed as Lenne sat him down near the water.  
  
"That would be really great if you could spend the rest of eternity with us, but you have to find your special someone first. She is probably dying to see you, literally!" Lenne grinned as she handed Tidus a piece of bread with strawberry jelly smothered all over it. Tidus then devoured it as if he had never tasted food in his entire life.  
  
"That was the best tasting bread that I have ever had. Thank you, Lenne." Tidus smiled as he quickly began to eat more. Soon, he had gone through a whole loaf of bread!  
  
"I am glad to hear that the food satisfied you. I am not all that great of a cook, so I was hoping that you wouldn't get mad at me if I couldn't make you a feast."  
  
"This dinner that you made, Lenne, was even too great to feed to the kings! You should be proud, because I can't even take a piece of bread out of the bag most of the time!" Tidus joked as he and Lenne continued to have a great time with their "feast." However, Shuyin kept to himself and sat quietly under a tree, and glared up at them every so often. Soon, day began to transform into night, and Tidus and Lenne got ready for bed. Lenne set up her sleeping back near the shore of the waterfall, while Tidus set up camp upon a small hill. Shuyin still remained sitting under the same tree, as if he was a statue, never to move again. Lenne and Tidus quickly entered dreamland, but little did Tidus know that he was in for a rude awakening.  
  
Time seemed to pass by like a cheetah, racing through the savanna, because it had already reached 12:00 a.m. in the Farplane. The once immobile Shuyin decided to get up, and began to walk over to the hill where Tidus was sleeping. Shuyin then reached over and with his hand, nudged at Tidus's shoulder. "Hey, I need to talk to you right now, Tidus." Shuyin muttered, however, Tidus just gave a slight moan and turned over to his left side. With no other options, Shuyin picked up Tidus's weary body and took him back to the tree. Shuyin then leaned Tidus's body against the trunk of the tree, and dumped some cold water upon Tidus's face.  
  
"Hey, why did you do that for?! I was right in the middle of a good dream, and you woke me up! What do you want?" Tidus yelled, but Shuyin just ignored him and got up off of the ground.  
  
"Were you dreaming are her, Tidus?"  
  
"What are you talking about? And if it was dreaming about someone, it isn't any of your business, Shuyin!" Tidus then got up off of the tree, and faced towards Shuyin.  
  
"I have waited for you to come back for 1000 years, and you can't even show that you care about me? Do you forget everything that we had? Or do you not recall all of the happiness and good times that we shared together? Well, I have not, and I will never give up on the relationship that we can rebuild."  
  
"I told you, Shuyin. I have moved on in my life, and I can never become your lover again." Tidus replied as memories of the past began to quickly cloud up his mind... 


	3. A Past Forever Reoccurring, Part One

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
It had been over 1000 years since Tidus and Shuyin met, but the memories still lingered on like a horrible nightmare for Tidus...  
  
"Hmph. That sorry son-of-a-bitch father of mine thinks that he can just get up and leave without a warning, eh? Well, I don't care. He can go shoot himself in the head, and I wouldn't even bother to cry for him!" Tidus roared as he scuffed his feet along the rough pavement to the Zanarkand Dome. It was Tidus's 17th birthday, and his father was supposed to accompany Tidus to his try-outs for the Blitzball team, the Zanarkand Abes. However, Tidus's father mysterious disappeared during a previous night's game, and never left any signs as to his whereabouts. Thus, Tidus dragged himself in line by himself, and waited for over four hours until it was his time to prove himself to the rest of the team. Once his name was called, Tidus lifted his head high in the air, pulled his rage-filled hair off of his face, and dove head first into the cold, murky waters of the dome.  
  
The beginning of Tidus's performance went well, with stunning passes and accurate goal shots, but it all went downhill when he tried to perform his father's famous move: The Jecht Shot. Tidus was able to lift himself high enough in the air, but when he tried to flip upside down, he couldn't build up enough momentum, and thus, crashed back down into the left side of the dome. Blood then poured as swiftly as a ranging river from Tidus's forehead as he laid lifeless in the water. Members of the Zanarkand Abes then quickly jumped into the dome, rescued Tidus, and rapped up his body with some clean beach towels. A few hours later, Tidus regained consciousness, and noticed that he was lying on a bench in the Men's locker room. A young man that looked kind of like him, with a blood-soaked shirt and black short, was sitting on another bench, cleaning up the blood that got splattered around the room. "Hey you! Did you clean me up and bring me in here?" Tidus asked. The young man then got up off of the other bench and sat beside Tidus.  
  
"I sure did. You were pretty beat up, buddy. I had to put 20 stitches on your head just to stop the bleeding. The whole team was worried that you were not going to make it, but you must have been tough enough to survive since you are already awake. And for that reason, I, Shuyin, would like to welcome you, Tidus, aboard the Zanarkand Abes."  
  
"What!? I actually made the team? I was sure that I was going to get axed after that fall, but I got accepted?! This is great!" Tidus cheered as he tried to get up, but soon he fell back upon the bench. "I guess that I am still too weak, eh?"  
  
"Well, once you recover, we'll go out and celebrate, okay?" Shuyin asked as he placed a blanket over Tidus's body. Tidus then nodded back at Shuyin and shut his eyes. "Don't you worry, Tidus, we are going to have plenty of fun together." Shuyin smiled as he got up, lifted Tidus's body off of the bench, and exited the locker room.  
  
When Tidus awoke again, he was lying upon his very own bed in his very own house. "How did I get back home? I thought that I was in the locker room, talking to that Shuyin guy. Was it just a dream?" Tidus pondered as he scratched his head. He then felt the sharp, metal stitches on top his skull, and realized that what just happened to him wasn't an illusion. Still, he wanted to find out how he got back home, so just as Tidus was about to get up out of bed, he heard a loud knock at his door. "Yeah Mom, I coming." Tidus mumbled as he walked over to open the door. To his surprise, the person behind the door wasn't his mother, but Shuyin instead. "Hey, what are you doing here so early, Shuyin?"  
  
"Early? It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon! I just came by to see how you are feeling, and to inform you that our first match of the season against the Ronso Fangs begins in two hours. I'll wait a few minutes for you outside, in order to give you enough time to get ready, and then we'll walk to the match together, okay?" Shuyin replied as he then shut the door. Tidus then frantically searched through his dresser drawers for a decent outfit, plopped on an old pair of boots, and raced out of his room. Tidus then ran down the stairs as fast as a racecar, grabbed a cup of orange juice, and pounded open the front door as if he was a rabies-infected dog. "Took ya long enough, Tidus!" Shuyin laughed as he watched Tidus fumble down the stairs.  
  
"I am so sorry, Shuyin! I guess I just needed the sleep." Tidus sighed as the two of them began to walk down to the dome.  
  
"It's alright. Hey, if we win our game tonight, I'll take you out to eat, my treat!" Shuyin offered.  
  
"You'll wish that you had never made that promise, 'cause I can eat as much as a Humbra!" Tidus joked. A few minutes later, the two of them finally entered the dome, where thousands of screaming fans cheered for their beloved Zanarkand Abes. "Hey Shuyin, are the fans always this crazy?" Tidus asked as he dove into the freezing cold waters.  
  
"Yeah, and sometimes the fans can get even crazier. One time, after we had just won a match in the semi-finals, a girl jumped out of her seat and broke her neck falling down the stadium's stairs!"  
  
"Well, I hope that nobody gets hurt tonight." Tidus proclaimed as the dome's bell buzzed, signaling the beginning of the match. During the first half, the Ronso's played a hard defense, and would only allow one goal to pass through for the Abes. The score was tied 1-1 when the intermission bell rang. During intermission, the Abes got together in the locker room, and thought of what they should do to break the Ronso's strategy, and score some serious points.  
  
"We should attack the Ronso's more aggressively! They are making us look like helpless Chocobos out there!" A player yelled.  
  
"No! They are just trying to trick us by only playing defense last quarter! I bet that they are going to go on the offense this quarter, and if we don't prepare for that, we're gonna lose the match!" Another player argued.  
  
"Wait! You know what we should do, men? Why don't we pick up our offense a little, but make sure that we have an equally strong defense? That way, there is no way the Ronsos can tell if we are going to go on the offense or defense!" Tidus boasted. The other players then stood speechless, as if they had just seen a ghost.  
  
"Well, this newbie has a good point! I'm up for his plan, how about the rest of you?" Shuyin cheered. All of the other men looked around at each other, and in unison, they shouted, "Let's go kick some Ronso ass!" Tidus seemed to smile as wide as a canyon when he heard the other players backing him up. Soon enough, the buzzer rang, and all of the players exited the locker room, and reentered the dome with a new boost of confidence.  
  
The second round of the Blitzball match was as hot as a jar of chili peppers. The Ronso's strategy didn't change from the previous round, but because the Abes beefed up their offensive power, they were able to sweep through and score the remaining goals required to win the match. In fact, the Zanarkand Abes beat the Ronsos Fangs so badly that the opponent's net was torn to shreds! 'Well, are you ready to pig out, Shuyin?" Tidus laughed as the final buzzer echoed through out the stadium.  
  
"You bet! Let's get out of here as fast as we can in order to beat the lines!" Shuyin grinned as the two of them then raced passed all of the other players, out of the dome, and to a local restaurant called the 'Undying Flame.' At the restaurant, Tidus munched down four sodas, three hamburgers, six hot dogs, and two apple pies, while Shuyin devoured three ice teas, eight bowls of rice, six mini-steaks, and one piece of cheesecake. "That most certainly hit the spot, eh Tidus?" Shuyin asked as he wiped his soy sauce-filled face with a napkin.  
  
"It sure did! And I am glad that I don't have to pay the tab, either!" Tidus grinned as he finished his last slice of pie. Afterwards, Shuyin went up to the register, paid for the feast, and the two of them then left the restaurant, and walked back down to where the rest of the houses were. Before they reached that district, however, Shuyin, toughed at Tidus's shirt, and stopped him underneath a large oak tree.  
  
"Hey Tidus! I hope you don't mind me asking this question, but do you have a girlfriend right now?"  
  
"Nope. Haven't had one of those in a long time. Ya know, Shuyin, I wonder just how men can put up with women, and vice versa. I mean, sometimes it's like men and women are never on the same page, and they can never understand each other. How about yourself? Do you have a special girl in your life?"  
  
"Well, I have given up on women." Shuyin replied as he glanced down upon his feet.  
  
"What do you mean, 'gave up on em'? Are you just taking a break and waiting for the right one to come along, or what?" Tidus asked with a confused look painted upon his face.  
  
"This is what I meant." Just then, Shuyin lifted his head back up, and got closer to Tidus. With one swift movement, Shuyin's sweat-ridden lips touched Tidus and Tidus's face became as red as a ripe tomato. "Now, do you understand, Tidus?" Shuyin asked as he slowly backed away from Tidus.  
  
"Loud and Clear, Shuyin." Tidus smiled as the two of them then began to walk down the street again, except this time, they held each other's hands. Tidus had never felt so alive in his entire life, and his heart had become infatuated with Shuyin's soul. Shuyin thought that Tidus possessed a good spirit, and wished to spend the rest of his life with Tidus. For the next two years, Tidus and Shuyin's relationship grew, and soon, the two became an inseparable duo, until a strange creature called a "woman" came along, and changed the way Shuyin and Tidus felt for each other for the rest of time... 


	4. A Past Forever Reoccurring, Part Two

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
Finally, after two years and six long months, the Zanarkand Abes made it to the Blitzball championships against the Besaid Aurochs. It had been a tough season for both the Abes, and Tidus, but with Shuyin's support, Tidus was able to thrash through the competition easily. The Zanarkand Abes had fought against the Besaid Aurochs once before, and they weren't exactly push-overs, but Tidus liked a good challenge, so he held his head high with confidence as he dove one last time into the dome. Thousands of ecstatic fans jumped out of their seats, both for the Abes and Aurochs, and the stadium was lit up like a ballroom floor. "Hey, let's make this game the best we've ever had, eh Shuyin?" Tidus asked as he stretched out his legs and arms before the match.  
  
"You bet! And after we win the match, we can have a big celebration at my house, just the two of us. I got some groceries yesterday, so we can have a big feast as well." Shuyin promised as he slowly floated over towards Tidus. "You can even have a little taste of me for dessert." Shuyin whispered. Tidus's face then glowed up like a full moon as he nodded and the two of them then swam to the center of the dome, where the rest of the team was. The obnoxious opening buzzer finally rang, and it was then time to play a serious game of Blitzball.  
  
The first quarter of the match seemed to be going in favor of the Abes. They were able to score two goals, and kept the Aurochs in check with a superb line of defense, and only allowed for one goal to pass through. Shortly afterward, a second buzzer rang throughout the stadium, signaling half time. Since this was the championship match, a half-an-hour show was going to begin. Tonight's special guest was a famous songstress from Zanarkand. After the stage was set, and after all of the Blitzball players had exited the dome, the young woman walked upon the stage and began to sing an enchanting melody of love. This woman had shoulder-length brown hair, hazel eyes, and a periwinkle dress that seemed to sparkle up like the stars in a clear night's sky. Since Tidus and Shuyin were Blitzball players, they were able to get front row seats to the show, and seemed to be enjoying themselves. Tidus danced around in his seat to the music, while Shuyin stared intensively at the woman. "Wow. I've never seen someone so breathtaking in my entire life. Her voice is so pleasant-sounding that it's almost like being in a dream, and not wanting to wake up. I must find out who she is!" Shuyin thought to himself as the songstress completed her song, and took a bow. "Hey Tidus, do you know who that girl was on stage?"  
  
"Sure do. Her name is Lenne, and she's one of my best friends. We grew up together, and went to school together. I've practically known her all of my life, and she has been one of my few supporters during the hard times. I'll introduce her to ya after the match." Tidus replied as Shuyin slightly nodded, still gazing upon Lenne.  
  
As soon as the concert began, it had ended, and the purple curtain quickly closed back up. "Hey Tidus. I gotta run to the bathroom real quick before the second quarter starts. Save a spot for me on the field, alright?" Shuyin requested as both he and Tidus got out of their seats.  
  
"Sure thing. Just make sure that you get back on time, okay?" Tidus asked as he watched Shuyin run out of the dome. A few minutes later, Tidus then followed the rest of the Blitzball team back into the watery dome, but Shuyin was nowhere in sight. The next buzzer then rang as loudly as a thunderstorm, and the match went on with one less player for the Abes. "Where the hell is Shuyin? He was supposed to come back, but I wonder if something happened to him. I hope he didn't get hurt..." Tidus pondered as the final kickoff began. Tidus was tempted to exit the match and go look for Shuyin, but the Abes needed his help, so he sucked up his worries, and played the game. Time seemed to pass by as slowly as a turtle, but eventually, the final buzzer rang, and the match was 7-5, in favor of the Abes.  
  
After the match, the team congratulated each other on their victory, but even with having won his first championship, and gaining the M.V.P award, Tidus felt empty inside without his other half to share the happiness with. Tidus then dragged himself into the men's locker room, got cleaned up, and walked himself down the hallway to the exit. Right before Tidus reached the front doors of the dome, he heard a loud moan coming from a side hallway. "Hey, is that you, Shuyin?" Tidus yelled at the top of his lungs, but there was no response. Thinking that the noise could of came from Shuyin, Tidus then ran down the short hallway, and found two large shadows leaning against the wall. Eventually, the shadows dissolved, and Tidus's jaw then dropped to the floor. Standing right before him was his best friend, Lenne, and his lover, Shuyin, making out with each other. At that moment, rage poured violently into Tidus's heart, and the tears that began to rain down his face quickly evaporated into steam. "What do you think that you're doing, Shuyin? I thought that you said that you gave up on women?!" Tidus yelled as both Shuyin and Lenne turned around and noticed that they were discovered.  
  
"Well...uh...Lenne here was having an asthma attack, and I was trying to revive her by giving her some C.P.R. Luckily, I got here in time to save her, eh Tidus?" Shuyin chuckled nervously.  
  
"For one thing, Lenne has never had an asthma attack in her entire life, so that's one big, fat lie! I thought that I could trust the both of you, but apparently not. Well, the both of you can go to hell for all I care, 'cause I never want to see your damn faces again!" Tidus screamed as he then ran back down the hallway, and out the door, before anyone else could catch up with him. "Why? Why did this happen to me? Whenever something good comes along, it always gets taken away from me! It's not fair! It's just not fair!" Tidus cried out as he had finally reached his house. He then unlocked the front door, entered the house, ran up the stairs, and slammed his bedroom door shut as loud as a raging tornado. Tears still poured down his face as quickly as ever as he took off his shirt and plopped onto his bed. "Cruse you Shuyin, Lenne, and Dad!" Tidus mumbled as he quickly fell back into dreamland.  
  
The next morning, Tidus awoke to a deafening knock upon his door. "If you are Shuyin, Lenne, or my father, don't even think about entering this room." Tidus uttered as he slowly opened up his eyes. However, the door opened anyways, and revealed to be Tidus's mother. His mother had short, dirty blond hair, grass green eyes, and was wearing a flower-patterned dress.  
  
"I have some bad news for you, son. I just received a call from Lenne's family, and they told me that she and another young man died together last night. Apparently, Lenne was a summoner, and yesterday, she was called to duty for the upcoming war against Bevelle. However, this boy didn't want to see her die in the fight, so he snuck into a local Bevelle base, shortly outside of town, and tried to steal a humongous machina from them to do battle in. Lenne eventually caught up with him, and stopped him from taking the machina, but the two of them were then caught by a group of Bevelle's bodyguards, and shot down, instantly killed in the process. I'm so sorry."  
  
"Mom, could you leave my room, now, and wake me up in a couple of days?" Tidus requested.

"Sure thing, honey." Tidus could then hear his mother's footsteps as she left the room and shut the door behind her.

"Well, they got what they deserved, I guess." Tidus smirked as he closed his eyes and went back to sleep, never thinking that he would then be reunited with both Shuyin and Lenne over a 1000 years later...


	5. Taking Control

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
Conservation continued from Ch. 2: A Chance Meeting Under the Moonlight  
  
"Why can't we get back together, Tidus? I mean, we should have stayed together back in Zanarkand, but it was my fault that we broke up, and I apologize for that. I thought that I would never see you again, and now that I have this opportunity, I can't just let it pass me by. Don't you feel the same?" Shuyin asked as Tidus slowly exited his memories and returned to reality.  
  
"I do, Shuyin, but you don't seem to understand. You are dead, and I am alive. I can't stay here in the Farplane with you, nor can I take you back to Spira with me. It just would not work out between us." Tidus replied as he stood up, walked over towards the waterfall, and sat himself down upon the sand-filled beach.  
  
"Well, how about I kill you then? I could just slit your throat, throw you over a cliff, or murder you whichever way you please. I wouldn't mind, and that way, we could be dead together in the Farplane!" Shuyin boasted as he followed Tidus and sat on the beach next to him.  
  
"Are you crazy? I do not want to die just after I came back to life! Besides, even if I was dead, Lenne would still be here, and it would not be right for me to intrude upon your relationship. You two are meant for each other, and I accept that fact, Shuyin. I was angry with you for cheating on me for a very long time, but over the years, I have come to a realization. If you were willing to sacrifice your life for her, and vice versa, then the two of should be together. However, I still love you, and I will have a special place for you deep within my soul. That is why I must go home to Spira tomorrow, and why you must stay here in the Farplane with Lenne." Tidus admitted as he patted Shuyin on the back.  
  
"No! You are lying to me! I know the real reason why we can't get back together, and it's all because of that summoner! You just want to go back home to see her, don't you? You don't give a shit about me anymore, and I can now see that!" Shuyin yelled as he grabbed Tidus's hand with a tight grip.  
  
"No, I really do love you, Shuyin, with all of my heart, but we are just not meant to me!" Tidus cried as he tried to release Shuyin's monstrous grip upon his hand, but he was unsuccessful in doing so.  
  
"If I am not good enough for you, Tidus, then no one else is!" Shuyin proclaimed. He then grabbed Tidus by his silver necklace, and threw him down upon the sand. Shuyin then leaped upon Tidus's shaken body, and kissed him on the lips. Pyreflies then began to swarm around them, and eventually, they covered up Tidus's entire body. Shuyin then got up off of Tidus and lifted up his body. "Don't you worry, Tidus. I'll take care of that summoner, and then we can be together forever. I just need your corpse first in order to do that, of course." A few seconds later, Shuyin's soul began to pour into Tidus's body, and Tidus's body then crashed back onto the beach.  
  
"You stop this now, Shuyin, and get out of my body!" Tidus demanded, but was too late. Shuyin had taken total control over Tidus, as if he was a puppeteer. Blue and purple pyreflies then began to float around Shuyin as he got up off of the beach and dusted his newly gained body off. Shuyin's eyes then glared a red color like the planet, Mars, and his blond hair flared up with the wind.  
  
"I could get used to this body." Shuyin chuckled as he walked away from the beach, and deeper into the Farplane. The only thing on Shuyin's mind at that time was to find the summoner that loved Tidus and slay her, and he was willing to do anything in order to complete his mission, even if that meant for him to destroy innocent people in the process... 


	6. A Paineful Encounter of the Ghostly Kind

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
Another thing: Thanks go out to all of you who have been reading my fanfic, and to oezi for helping me with the Al Bhed language.  
  
And one final note: Keep in mind that Tidus is possessed by Shuyin, and since Shuyin has total control over Tidus, he will be talking through Tidus's body.  
  
Dawn had just painted its pretty colors across the Farplane's skyline as Shuyin sat upon a high cliff, writing a letter to Lenne. A few minutes later, Shuyin completed the letter, and it read like this:  
  
_Dearest Lenne,  
  
I suppose you are wondering why I have disappeared before your pretty eyes opened up to see a new day. Well, last night, I decided to take Tidus back to Spira by myself. Why, you ask? Well, I believe that a young lady like yourself shouldn't be subjected to the stress and turmoil that goes on during the daily lives of the Spirians. They have to constantly fight fiends, deal with harsh weather conditions, and put up with one another's disagreements. Even I do not wish to return to Spira, but I shall go for the sake of Tidus's safety. I shall be gone for a few days, but do not fret. I shall return with open arms, my love. Well, I must now end this letter, but I hope to see your lovely face again sometime soon. Goodbye!  
With Love,  
Shuyin  
  
_"Well, that sounds a bit mushy for my tastes, but this will work. I can't have her standing in my way, and this letter will prevent any interferences." Shuyin concluded as he got up off of the ground, walked over to the spot on the shoreline where Lenne laid sleeping, and place the note upon her chest. "I hope that she sees it, or else I am in big trouble!" Shuyin assumed as he then walked back over to his spot upon the cliff's edge, and sat back down. He then picked up a small flower from the grassy ground, and wistfully dropped the flower down the vast cliff, and into the winds of the Farplane. "I wish that I could just blow the summoner away as easily as I did that flower." Shuyin sighed as he gazed out upon the lush fields of flowers and small creeks that covered the Farplane's grounds.  
  
"Now, how exactly am I going to get rid of this summoner? If I just kill her like any regular person, she will arrive on the Farplane, and then I will never be able to get rid of her! However, I now can recall an old legend that my mother told me when I was younger. She told me that if a person has rage in his or her heart right before they pass away, then the person will transform into a powerful fiend, and if they are then killed when in their fiend form, then their soul will never go to the Farplane, and they will then turn into a Pyrefly, forever wandering Spira aimlessly. That's it! If I can piss the summoner off well enough, then she shall become a fiend that I can easily destroy! I am such a genius!" Shuyin boasted as he began to dance around in a circle, as if he was a rabid monkey.  
  
"Now, I just need to get myself a weapon, find out who this summoner really is, and then the fun can begin! Hm, but what would be a good place to try and complete both of those things at once? Why, of course! I know of the perfect location, and that is Luca! I'm sure that I could find some information there, and maybe even get myself a descent weapon. Well, I best be off!" Shuyin cheered. He then shut his eyes and stretched his right arm out into the air. A few seconds later, dark-colored waves began to emerge from Shuyin's arm, and the waves then formed what looked to be an enormous black hole. Once the waves stopped emerging from Shuyin's body, he reopened his eyes, and jumped into the pitch-black hole of nothingness.  
  
A few minutes after Shuyin entered the black hole, he arrived over the ocean that was hitting against Luca's shoreline. "Well, I wasn't expecting a swim during my mission, but what the hell! I could use the exercise anyways." Shuyin realized as he then leaped out of the hole, and into the ocean. He then swam across the waters until he reached the docks of Luca, where roughly ten carrier ships were harbored. Shuyin then lifted himself out of the water, plopped his rental body upon the wooden dock, and dried himself off like a dog, waving his body back and forth vigorously. Eventually, Shuyin was ready to walk again, and he then began to scourer the streets of Luca, keeping an eye out for any clues that would lead him in the right direction.  
  
After searching the grounds of Luca for roughly four hours, Shuyin decided to take a quick break at a local restaurant called "Scoundrel's Scavenger Hunt." He then sat himself down at a bench, and gave the order of a rare hamburger, small fries, and a medium strawberry shake to the waiter. As he waited for his food to arrive, Shuyin noticed a mysterious maiden sitting across from him. She had light brown hair that was slicked back to form a Mohawk, maroon-colored eyes, and she wore so many belts and chains on her clothing that they seemed to never end. However, the woman's appearance wasn't the only thing that intrigued Shuyin. Next to the woman's seat laid a remarkable sword that very well could have been from a royal family. The sword had a blood-red handle, a steel-colored blade, and an engraving of a human skull on top of the handle. _"If I had a sword like hers, I could easily kill 20 people with one swipe! I gotta ask her where she obtained her sword!"_ Shuyin thought as he quickly munched down his food. After he finished eating and paid the waiter at the front counter, Shuyin slowly walked over to the young woman's table. "Excuse me, miss, but can I ask you a question?"  
  
"Depends. What do you want to know? If you are going to ask me out on a date or to marry me, then you should walk away now, before you get yourself injured." The woman instructed as she finished drinking her bottle of soda.  
  
"Oh no, it's not that! I wanted to know where you got you sword. Did you make it yourself?" Shuyin stuttered.  
  
"Ha, I wish. I got this puppy from an Al Bhed Shop here in town. I can take you there, if you want me to." The woman replied as she got up out of her seat and stood in front of Shuyin.  
  
"That would be great! I would really appreciate it, as long as it doesn't interfere with any of your plans." Shuyin exclaimed.  
  
"Nope. It's no trouble...um...I didn't catch your name."  
  
"It's..Er...Tidus. And your name is?" Shuyin lied. He knew that he couldn't reveal his true identity to anyone, for he would surely be discovered, and his plans would then be shattered into a million pieces.  
  
"Paine. It's a pleasure, I'm sure. Ready to go?" Paine asked as Shuyin nodded his head. The two of them then exited the restaurant and began to walk down the streets of Luca. "You seem familiar, Tidus? You wouldn't happen to know someone named Yuna, would you?"  
  
"Was she a summoner?" Shuyin asked.  
  
"Yup, and she was the one who stopped Sin two years ago. In fact, I think that she was in love with some man whose name began with a T, but I don't remember what the name was..." Paine recalled.  
  
"The T name that you are looking for is Tidus, and yes, I am Yuna's love interest. The fayth brought me back to life because she wished to see me again, so I was reborn in the Farplane, and I just arrived back in Spira a few hours ago. You wouldn't happen to know where she is right now, would you?"  
  
"Sure do. Yuna and the rest of the gang are aboard the airship, Celsius. I am betting that she wants to see you, so after we go to the sword shop, I'll take you back with me to the airship. Is that okay?"  
  
"You bet! I can't wait to see her again!" Shuyin smiled. _"I can't believe that my day is going so well! First, I met Paine, who's taking me to get a bad-ass sword like hers, and now after we're done shopping, I'll finally be able to meet this Yuna chick that Tidus has been lusting over for the past two years. Soon, Tidus, my plans will be completed, and we will be able to enjoy each other's company together without any interference." _Shuyin thought to himself as they finally reached the shop called "Cfunt Lahdnym," in Al Bhed, and when translated into English, it read, "Sword Central." Inside the building were thousand of different swords that were all different colors of the rainbow. Some swords were thin and slick like a snake, while others were short and thick, like a machete knife. Shuyin and Paine then began to browse around the shop, and it was like being a child in a toy story for Shuyin, for his gaze could not be lifted off of the enchanting swords.  
  
After two hours of gawking upon the merchandise, Shuyin finally found the sword of his dreams. The sword had a rather simple design, with a plain navy-blue handle, and a black, metallic blade, but engraved along the edge of the blade was a saying that read, "Najahka ec paddan dycdateh pmuut," or when translated into English, it said, "Revenge is better tasted in blood." Once Shuyin picked out his sword, he took it to the counter, where an Al Bhed man rang him up. After paying for the sword, Shuyin and Paine walked out of the shop and back into the streets.  
  
"Hey Paine, before we go on the airship, can I ask you something about Yuna, but not here?"  
  
"Why not here?"  
  
"It's a personal question, and I would rather not say it out loud in front of everybody."  
  
"Alright then. Where would you like to ask this "personal question" at?" Paine remarked as Shuyin began to head over to a small alleyway. She, of course, followed him, and entered the alleyway. This particular alleyway seemed darker than usual, as if night had already taken over day. A thin layer of fog then began to pick up as Paine noticed that she was totally alone. "Hey Tidus! Where are you?" Paine cried out as she looked for a way out of the alleyway. Suddenly, Paine was stopped dead in her tracks as she felt the touch of a sword come against the front of her neck. A cold breath then rushed over the back of her shoulder and she was drawn closer to the blade of the sword. Paine then tried to remove the sword placed underneath her neck by using her hands, but the force put upon the blade was far too strong for her, and she could not overpower it.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Paine. I am grateful that you helped me gain this marvelous blade and leads on Yuna's whereabouts, but I cannot let you go free. I need your body to complete my plan, and I am sure that you will understand that. Don't worry, this won't hurt at all." The fog that surrounded the area suddenly dispersed, and revealed that Shuyin was the person behind the sword. Shuyin then gently kissed Paine along her neck as red and orange pyreflies began to surround her body. Eventually, the pyreflies totally consumed Paine's body, and she then fainted onto the ground. A few seconds later, Paine woke up, and a strange aura surrounded her body. Her hair seemed to be a bit darker, and her eyes glowed a bright orange color.  
  
"I am ready to serve you, Master Tidus." Paine avowed as she bowed down before Shuyin.  
  
"Arise, my child, and take me to the airship. The next conversion shall soon begin." Shuyin commanded as Paine arose off of the ground, walked out of the alleyway, and brought Shuyin back to Luca's docks. A few minutes later, a large ruby red-colored airship that was in the shape of a seagull landed before them. Little did the other members of the Gullwings know that soon a familiar face would change their precious lives forever... 


	7. Help: Unwanted

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
Another thing: Thanks go out to all of you who have been reading my fanfic, and to oezi for helping me with the Al Bhed language.  
  
And one final note: Keep in mind that Tidus is possessed by Shuyin, and since Shuyin has total control over Tidus, he will be talking through Tidus's body. Shuyin has also possessed Paine, so keep that in mind as well.  
  
"Hey Paine! Welcome home! It took ya long enough!" a mysterious voice shouted from deep within the airship as Shuyin and Paine climbed aboard. The inside of the airship was lined with blue lights, and the ground was covered with coal-colored tiles, which caused for Shuyin big boots to squeak every time he moved. As Shuyin and Paine walked up the large ramps that made up the airship, they could begin to faintly hear tiny footsteps, and eventually, a small figure emerged right before their eyes. Once they got closer to the figure, they could see that it was a young woman, with light blond hair, some of the hair placed in braids, and Tonberry-colored eyes. This woman also wore a bright yellow strapless top, a fiery-red colored scarf, and dark green hot pants. "Hey, who's the cutie standing behind you, Paine? Your new boyfriend?" The young woman explained as she ran over to Paine.  
  
"I think that you already know who this is, Rikku." Paine remarked as she then grabbed Shuyin and pulled him out in front of her.  
  
"It...can't be...is that really you, Tidus?" Rikku exclaimed as she jumped back as quickly as a frog, escaping danger. Shuyin then slightly nodded his head, and Rikku then jumped up and hugged Shuyin as tightly as a grizzly bear. "I am so happy that you are back! I thought that you were a total goner, for sure!" Rikku cheered as she released herself from Shuyin's body.  
  
"Yeah, and I am glad to see you again, Rikku, but where is Yuna?" Shuyin asked.  
  
"I believe that Yunie is controlling the airship from the bridge area right now. See, the rest of the Gullwings decided to take a 3-day vacation to Besaid to do a little fishing, which makes the rest of us in charge of the Celsius. I don't mind, though, because that means that Yunie, Paine, and myself can do whatever we please while they are away, and you can join in our fun as well, Tidus!"  
  
"Oh joy, this should be enjoyable." Paine sarcastically remarked as Rikku dragged the two of them down the hallway and up to the bridge. The bridge area was filled with intricate wiring, and thousands of computerized screens, flashing wildly.  
  
"Hey, Yunie! Paine's back, and she has brought back a special visitor!" Rikku exclaimed as she ran up to the central controls of the airship, where a young woman sat, glaring at a large monitor. This woman had short, light brown hair, and it appeared as she looked at Rikku that she has two different colored eyes, one a deep ocean-blue color, and the other a forest green color. As the young woman stood up, it appeared that she was wearing a white tube top, laced in pink fabric, along with navy blue hot pants, and a feathery light blue skirt that swayed back and forth as she walked over to Paine.  
  
"Well, where is this visitor, Paine? I do not seem him or her anywhere." The woman asked as she looked around Paine's body. Slowly, Shuyin revealed himself, and looked upon the young woman's face. Shock and disbelieve then began to quickly rush upon the young woman's eyes and mouth.  
  
"Are you, Yuna?" Shuyin bashfully asked as his faced blushed up as red as a Valentine's Day heart. Yuna then nodded her head as tears of joys began to flood down her joyous completion.  
  
"The fayth brought you back to life, right? Are you just an illusion, or are you really alive now?" Yuna asked as Shuyin wiped the tears off of her face.  
  
"Well, I was brought back to life by the fayth, as you had requested, and I think that I am now a real person, and no longer a dream."  
  
"Oh, Tidus!" Yuna cried out as she leaped upon Shuyin's leased body. Shuyin then reluctantly held Yuna with his arms, while at the same time, rage and angst flowed wildly in his veins.  
  
_"I am...feeling a sudden surge of energy raging throughout my body. I hate this woman, yet at the same time, I think that I...love her. But, how can this be? Tidus, are these your feelings acting upon me?"_ Shuyin thought to himself as Yuna began to nudge her face closer to Shuyin's lips. _"Oh no! Is she trying to kiss me? If she does kiss me, then she shall become possessed, which makes my plans totally ruined! I have to do something quickly, but what?"_ Shuyin realized as Yuna's gentle, pink lips grew closer and closer to his. Right before Yuna was going to place her lips against Shuyin's, he shut his eyes, and pretended to faint by slowly letting go of Yuna's body and falling onto the floor.  
  
"Tidus, are you alright? Tidus? Tidus!" Yuna roared as she violently shook Shuyin's body. Rikku then walked over to Yuna, and released her from Shuyin.  
  
"He'll be alright, Yunie. I bet that he was just so tired from the long voyage back to Spira, and from all of the excitement, that his body just couldn't take it anymore. I'll take him to a spare bed up in the cabin area, and get him some water. It looks like you better get some rest yourself, Yunie, 'cause you look dead tired!" Rikku proclaimed as she lifted up Shuyin's body.  
  
"Yeah, well, this week has been pretty hard for me, with Brother, Buddy, and Shinra being gone. Running an airship isn't easy, you know." Yuna sighed.  
  
"I know, but you have been doing a really great job as our temporary navigator, Yunie." Rikku stated as she smiled at Yuna.  
  
"Thanks, Rikku." Just then, Yuna's eyes began to slowly close and she then fell asleep upon the bridge's floor.  
  
"Geez, what are we going to do with these two sleepyheads, eh Paine?" Rikku whispered as she nudged Paine's shoulder.  
  
"Nothing. They should both know that they cannot always depend on other people in order to save them." Paine raged as she silently walked over to a large windowsill in front of the airship.  
  
"Yeah, but I know that if I was in trouble, my friends would come and help me. Wouldn't you, Paine?" Rikku mumbled.  
  
"Just keep your focus on watching over those two, and leave me alone." Paine demanded as Rikku walked over to the elevator, and placed Shuyin's body inside. Rikku then walked back, picked up Yuna's body, and carried her into the elevator as well. After both bodies were safely aboard the elevator, Rikku shut the elevator's door, and pushed the button that would take her up to the cabin area.  
  
_"Paine doesn't seem like herself today. She never usually acts so moody, and especially around me. I hope that she's okay..."_ Rikku thought to herself as she rode up in the elevator to the cabin area.  
  
_"Hm. I wonder if it is safe to open my eyes now. Faking fainting seemed to work out nicely, but I think that someone took me into another room. Ah, what the hell, I'm going to 'wake up' now."_ Shuyin then opened his eyes, and realized that he was lying upon a double bed in a strange, green room. Pictures of Yuna, Rikku, and Paine were scattered around the walls, and stuffed animals in the shapes of Moogles sat along the edge of the bed. _"Boy, the Gullwings sure do have a weird taste in decorating their rooms." _Shuyin thought to himself as he began to get himself out of the bed. Just then, he could hear the door handle beginning to open, so Shuyin quickly jumped back into bed, and kept his eyes halfway open. He then noticed that Rikku had opened the door, and she had brought a glass of water and a wet towel along with her. She then set the items on a table in the room, and pulled up a chair next to Shuyin.  
  
"Hey, how you feeling, bud?" Rikku whispered as she gentle stroked Shuyin's hair.  
  
"I think that I will okay. Just a little overwhelmed by everything that happened today, but I'll recover." Shuyin replied as he smiled at Rikku.  
  
"Well, I glad that you are getting better. Poor Yunie passed out right after you did, and she is still sleeping as we speak!" Rikku replied as she got up off of the chair, grabbed the glass of water and towel from the table, and sat back down. She then pressed the edge of the glass against Shuyin's lips so he could drink some of the water inside, and once he was done, she used the remaining water to drench the towel up and wipe off his sweat-ridded face.  
  
"Ya know, Rikku, I really appreciate you helping me out. You've been a lifesaver." Shuyin boasted as he gently placed his hand onto Rikku's right leg.  
  
It's no problem, my old friend, and I am sure that you would do the same for me." Rikku grinned as she placed her had on top of Shuyin's. "I really hate to do this to you, Rikku, but it's my only choice. I have to save my lover from that horrible witch, and I need your help." A few seconds later, Shuyin began to tightly grip Rikku's hand. She then tried to release his hand from hers, but his grip was too powerful to be removed. With almost all of his might, Shuyin then threw Rikku onto the floor, and jumped on top of her. Shuyin then bite Rikku's neck, and green and yellow pyreflies then began to swarm out of his body, and into hers. The pyreflies then lifted her body high into the air, and slowly absorbed themselves into the mark that Shuyin left on her body. Once all of the pyreflies successfully entered Rikku's body, she slowly floated back down, and onto the bed. Rikku's braids were now all dismantled, and her long blond hair flowed wildly down her face.  
  
"Lord Shuyin, what have to summoned me for?" Rikku asked as her foggy green eyes stared upon Shuyin's body.  
  
"Well, now we must find Paine, and begin the final part of my plan, Operation: Fiend Transformation." Shuyin commanded as the two of them then exited the room, and took the elevator back down to the bridge area, while Yuna slept peacefully her room, unaware of the terror that was soon to be brought upon her soul... 


	8. Operation: Fiend Transformation, Part On...

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
Another thing: Thanks go out to all of you who have been reading my fanfic, and to oezi for helping me with the Al Bhed language.  
  
And one final note: Keep in mind that Tidus is possessed by Shuyin, and since Shuyin has total control over Tidus, he will be talking through Tidus's body. Shuyin has also possessed Paine and Rikku, so keep that in mind as well.  
  
_"Where am I? I can feel a cool breeze coming over my shoulder, and I can faintly smell the sweet scent of roses, but I am standing in a pitch-black room. How can this be? Wait! I can see a bright light emerging from within the darkness. It appears to be a person, but I can't make out whom exactly it is. Hey, they are coming over here, but why? Are they going to help me escape this hellhole? No! This person is taking out a pistol! I must get out of here, but it seems that my feet are stuck to the floor, so I cannot move! Oh no, the person pulled the trigger! I am so sorry Rikku, Paine, and...Tidus..."_ Yuna shouted out as she began to wake from her slumber. Her face was beat-red, and tiny teardrops poured from her eyes. _"I guess I just had a bad dream, but it felt so real. Oh well. I got to go and find everybody else, and make sure Tidus is okay." _Yuna thought to herself as she got out of her bed, wiped her face off in the bathroom, and took the elevator back down to the bridge area. As she walked out of the elevator, she noticed Rikku and Paine piloting the airship, while Tidus sat at the monitor, and kept an eye on the navigational system. "Hey, where are we headed to now, guys?" Yuna asked as she walked over to Rikku and Paine.  
  
"Tidus had requested that we venture to Zanarkand today, so that is where we are headed to." Paine replied as she continued to pilot the airship.  
  
"Why are we going to Zanarkand, though?" Yuna inquired as she walked away from the front of the airship, grabbed a chair from across the room, and sat next to Shuyin.  
  
"Well, I want to visit Zanarkand in order to check something out. See, I had a sphere of my family that I hide in the dome, back when we were on your pilgrimage, and I would like to see if it still there. Probably, not, though, since all of these sphere hunters came to be..." Shuyin lied as Yuna smiled back at him. _"Hmph. Simple-minded fool! She's so lovesick over Tidus that she would believe anything I tell her! Anyway, she'll be in for a big surprise once we reach the dome..."_ Shuyin thought to himself as he grinned back at Yuna.  
  
"Well, don't you worry, Tidus! The Gullwings are on the case, and we never fail, right Rikku and Paine?" Yuna cheered.  
  
"Sure." Rikku replied in a monotone voice.  
  
"Whatever. As long as there is something in it for me, then I don't really care what I have to do." Paine mumbled under her breath as the two of them glared back at Yuna.  
  
_"Something's not right. Rikku and Paine never act like this, especially when we are on a sphere-hunting mission. I wonder if anything happened to them while I was sleeping..."_ Yuna pondered as she got up out of her chair, and walked over to the front of the airship. A few minutes later, Rikku got out of the pilot's seat, and walked over to Shuyin.  
  
"Lord Tidus, we have finally arrived in Zanarkand. Are the instructions you gave to myself and Paine earlier still in effect?" Rikku whispered into Shuyin's ear as Paine got up out of her seat as well, and joined Rikku.  
  
"Yes. All you have to do is follow my lead, and everything will be all right." Shuyin commanded.  
  
"However, I do have one final question before the operation begins. Why exactly are we going to Zanarkand? I mean, would it really make a difference where we went?" Paine silently asked as she leaned over Shuyin's shoulder.  
  
"Well, I just figured that Zanarkand would be the best place to depart to, due to the fact that no one ever goes there anymore. We have to make sure that no one else discovers our plans, or else we could all end up in prison for the rest of our lives, so I figured the ruins of Zanarkand would keep everything hidden in secrecy." Shuyin replied as he looked upon Paine's eyes.  
  
"Well, you are most certainly a genius, Lord Tidus, to come up with a plan like this one!" Rikku cheered as she jumped up and down.  
  
"Yes, and even I have to admit how full-proof this mission is. It's like the perfect crime, that no one will ever be able to figure out." Paine slightly smiled.  
  
"Ah, ladies, you flatter me too much! Let's just get off of this airship, and begin, shall we?" Shuyin requested as the three of them walked over to the elevator. "Hey Yuna, aren't you coming with us?"  
  
"Yes! Just hold on a second!" Yuna exclaimed as she ran over to the elevator. Eventually, they reached the exit of the Celsius, and began to walk along the grounds of Zanarkand. Zanarkand's sky was full of blue and white pyreflies that shined like stars, and the landscape was covered with rubble.  
  
_"Wow, so this is what Zanarkand looks likes after the Machina War. I just can't believe that Bevelle did this much damage to my homeland! If I ever get the chance, I would love to wreak havoc upon Bevelle's precious temples, and show them how my people felt when their beloved city of Zanarkand was totaled!" _Shuyin contemplated to himself as the group headed up to the dome. No longer was the dome filled with cheering fans and blinding lights, like Shuyin remembered, and all that remained was broken glass, busted-up metal poles, and memories of a fallen city. Eventually, the group arrived upon a small ramp made out of steel, and Shuyin, Rikku, and Paine stopped walking.  
  
"Hey, is this where the sphere is buried, Tidus? Because I don't see anything here..." Yuna remarked as she looked around, but Shuyin just ignored her, and withdrew his sword. Paine and Rikku then stood against each other, and winked at Shuyin, signaling that they were ready for the final showdown to begin.  
  
"Well, you aren't as dumb as I thought, Yuna! See, there never was a sphere buried here, but I do have a surprise for you! Be prepared, Yuna, to grief like my heart has for the last 1000 years!" Shuyin shouted back at Yuna.  
  
"What are you talking about, Tidus? Have you lost your mind?" Yuna roared, but it was too late to change Shuyin's mind. Just then, Shuyin turned around to face Rikku and Paine, and with one swift movement of his sword, he slit both of their throats, instantly killing them in the process.  
  
"We willingly die for you, Master Tidus." Rikku and Paine proclaimed as they quickly exited the living world. The impact from Shuyin's sword caused for both Rikku and Paine to fall over the edge of the ramp, and into the ruins below. Blood dripped furiously from Shuyin's sword as he took a step back from the edge of the ramp. Yuna then rushed over to the edge of the ramp, in order to try and catch them, but she was too late. She then tackled Shuyin, and began to repeatedly punch him in the arm.  
  
"How could you do this? Rikku and Paine were our friends, and you just go and kill them! What is wrong with you? Have you gone over the deep end? If that is the case, then no matter how much I love you, I can never forgive you for the blood that you split today. You must now pay for your crimes, Tidus!" Yuna howled as she grabbed Shuyin by the throat, and withdrew her pistol from her back pocket.  
  
"You know, you're pretty cute when you're angry." Shuyin smirked as he lifted up his blood-ridden sword. With one quick jolt, Shuyin stabbed Yuna straight through her heart, without even making any noise. He then took his sword out of her body, as she laid lifeless upon the ramp. Suddenly, pink and white pyreflies came and surrounded Yuna's body. "The transformation has begun..." 


	9. Operation: Fiend Transformation, Part Tw...

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix. Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.   
  
Another thing: Thanks go out to all of you who have been reading my fanfic, and to oezi for helping me with the Al Bhed language.  
  
And one final note: Keep in mind that Tidus is possessed by Shuyin, and since Shuyin has total control over Tidus, he will be talking through Tidus's body.  
  
(Sorry this chapter is a little late. I was on vacation.)  
  
_"Hm, my plan seems to be going way too smoothly. I mean, killing three people without them even putting up a fight? Pathetic. And I thought that this Yuna woman was suppose to be the High Summoner, who defeated Sin two years ago? Well, it doesn't matter now. Soon, no one will be able to recognize her." _Shuyin thought to himself as he stared at Yuna. The pink and white pyreflies that had previous covered up her body like a blanket began to depart, and a light mist began to fog up the stadium. Yuna's body then began to jolt around furiously, and some of her clothing began to tear up into millions of tiny pieces. Her eyes suddenly altered from blue and green into a dark, maroon color, and two sharp horns began to emerge from her head. Gray and light brown scales slowly covered up Yuna's arms and legs as her hair began to grow out wildly, like a lion's mane, and turned light blond in color. A pair of jet-black, feathery wings then sprouted from Yuna's, back, and turquoise-colored talons emerged from her fingertips as she slowly lifted herself off the ground. "Well, Yuna, how do you like your new body?" Shuyin jeered as he walked over towards Yuna.  
  
"This is all your fault! Since you killed me when I had hatred in my heart, I have now turned into an ugly fiend! How am I supposed to go on looking like this? I can never return home to Besaid or anywhere else in Spira for that matter, because I'll just be treated as a villain, and no one will think that I am Yuna anymore!" Yuna cried out as she glared at Shuyin.  
  
"Well, I can help you out with that problem very easily. See this sword? I can simply destroy you with it, if you would like me to." Shuyin smirked as he waved his sword high in the air.  
  
"I would rather travel to the center of the earth and be scorched by its hot lava instead of you! I still can't believe that the man I loved with all of my heart betrayed me so much. You stole everything from me, and now I am going to steal your most precious possession: your soul!" Yuna proclaimed as she quickly lounged her talons into Shuyin's back. Shuyin then took out his sword and slashed Yuna in the arm before he fell onto the ground. A few seconds later, Shuyin lifted himself off of the ground, and then charged after Yuna's chest, but Yuna was able to hold him off with her talons. The two of them then stood at a standstill, neither able to overpower the other. "You should give up now, Tidus, for you are no match for my newly obtained powers!" Yuna boasted as she curled her jagged talons around Shuyin's bloody sword.  
  
"Ha! You know nothing of my powers, so don't count me out just yet!" Shuyin roared as he tried to release his sword from Yuna's undying grasp. With some quick maneuvering, however, Shuyin was able to push his blade through her talons, and the impact threw her down onto the ramp. Shuyin then leaped on top of her, and placed the blade of the sword against her throat. "This truly is a great day for me, Yuna. Being able to see you stuffer like this makes me feel as if I am in a pleasant dream. You have no idea how long I have been suffering over my lost love, and when I heard that you had entranced his heart with your evil magic, I was outraged, but seeing you suffer like I did makes my pain melt away. Now, I can almost sense the sweet scent of revenge, and I am not stopping until I reach the source of the smell!" Shuyin screamed as he lifted up his sword high into the air. Shuyin then began to twirl his sword around, and was about ready to slash Yuna's neck, until a cool breeze passed through his body, and immobilized him. The sword that was in Shuyin's hand fell onto the soil below, and Yuna recovered from the fall by picking herself back up. _"Why can't I move? I killed both Rikku and Paine, so they couldn't of done this to me, and Yuna doesn't have her magical powers anymore, due to the transformation. Who else could there be?"_ Shuyin thought to himself, as he lied emotionless upon the earth.  
  
"You must not kill Yuna, Shuyin!" A familiar voice cried out as Shuyin turned around. He then quickly recognized the long, silky, brown hair, and pearl braids of the woman who was rushing to his side, for it was his other love, Lenne.  
  
"You should have never let me go, Tidus, because now I am going to show you my true strength!" Yuna growled as she soared up into the air, and flew over towards the two of them. Right before Yuna was going to dive down and crash into both of them, Lenne took out a small, pink-colored staff, which was embodied with clear heart and star beads, placed the staff against her heart, and closed her eyes.  
  
"Holy spirits, hear my request! Protect me and my lover with your magical crest!" Lenne chanted out as her body began to shine as boldly as the moon in a clear night's sky. Just then, a bright light emerged from her staff, and poured over both of them. When Yuna finally arrived before the two of them, she tried to grab Shuyin's leg, but instead, she was pushed back by the light, and was unable to pass through the barrier. "This is called a White Magic Power Shield. It protects anyone inside of its reach from dark magic and fiends, so we should be all right, for now. I used up a lot of my magic just trying to get here, so I don't know how long I can keep this shield up." Lenne stated as she looked upon Shuyin's surprised eyes.  
  
"Well, thanks to your shield, Lenne, I am still alive, but how did you know that I was here? I never wrote a word about visiting Zanarkand in the note that I left for you back in the Farplane, so how did you find me?" Shuyin asked as the spell placed upon his body began to slowly wear off.  
  
"Shuyin, you should know by now that we are always connected, even when we are apart. Since we died together, our souls are forever intertwined, and we can pick up each other's spirits easily. I kind of knew from the mood that you were in a few days ago that you were planning something, but it really hit me when you left that cheesy note behind. You never were the romantic type, Shuyin, so then I decided to investigate. I tried to reach you in Luca and onboard the Celsius, but my magic wouldn't go through. After several hours, I was able to rip a small hole, here in Zanarkand, but I see that I am already too late." Lenne sighed as she placed her hand upon Shuyin's shoulder.  
  
"So, you came here to try to stop me, eh? Well, you are just wasting your time, Lenne! I came here to save Tidus, and I am not changing my mind! Don't you want to see that evil witch destroyed once and for all, so Tidus can live with us for the rest of eternity? Don't you want him to be happy again?" Shuyin asked passionately as his eyes began to flood over with tears.  
  
"Of course I want Tidus to be happy, but doing this won't help! What you are doing right now is obliterating his whole world, and everyone in it! If you want Tidus to have joy and merriment in his life, then you must leave him alone! I know your heart aches to be with him again, but you must accept the fact that he has found another love, and so have you. The two of you now live in totally different worlds, and you can't change that fact! Shuyin, you shouldn't be angry at Yuna, but at me! I was the one who interfered with your relationship, and I am the reason why you two aren't together anymore. If you want to annihilate anyone, it should be me!" Lenne declared as she began to cry along with Shuyin.  
  
"No, you are not the one to blame, Lenne. I should have known better than to kiss you that night, but I was too immature and naive to know better. You are right, but I don't want to believe that it is true! I love Tidus too much to give him up, but at the same time, I feel like I belong with you! I have no idea what I should do now! I guess that I really messed up this time, eh?" Shuyin mumbled as he wiped the tears off of his face.  
  
"Not all is lost, my love, as long as you believe in me." Lenne counseled as she grabbed Shuyin and held him closely to her body. She then gently kissed Shuyin's lips, and blue pyreflies began to pour wildly from within his mouth. A few seconds later, the pyreflies that emerged earlier quickly formed Shuyin's soul, and Tidus's body was pushed back onto the ground as the two lost souls shared a kiss from a 1000 year old relationship... 


	10. It's Time to Depart, My Love

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix.

Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.

Another thing: Thanks go out to all of you who have been reading my fanfic, and to oezi for helping me with the Al Bhed language.

(Sorry this chapter is late... very late. I've been really busy lately...hehe. Anyway, enjoy the last chapter of my fanfic, and thanks for reading it. Later!)

"_What the hell is going on? I feel so weak, but it seems that I have finally regained control of my body. What released me from Shuyin's spell, I wonder..." _Tidus thought to himself as he slowly reopened his eyes to see two lovers embracing one another.

"Well, the daydreamer finally decided to wake up, eh?" Shuyin smirked as he released himself from Lenne's grasp.

"Shuyin! If you were still alive, I would kill you right now! How could you have possibly done this to my friends and me? I tried to stop you while I was possessed, but you just wouldn't listen to me! Don't you get it? Our relationship is over, Shuyin!" Tidus yelled as he ran over to Shuyin, and grabbed Shuyin by his throat.

"No! I thought to myself that if I destroyed your new life, you would come back to me, but apparently nothing is ever good enough for you! You are such a selfish, spoiled-rotten brat, Tidus!" Shuyin roared as he spat right in Tidus's face. Tidus then flinched, and threw Shuyin onto the ground. He then lounged after Shuyin, but right before his body reached Shuyin's, Lenne jumped in front of him, and caught Tidus in her arms.

"Knock it off, Tidus! We don't have time for you two to be fighting like this! Yuna's soul is shortly going to be devoured by her new fiend body, and if that happens, then she can no longer be controlled. You are the only one who can save her Tidus, so we can't risk you dying on us now!" Lenne proclaimed as she turned Tidus's body around. He then saw the transformed Yuna, raging around the dome like a wild beast, and a small teardrop then flowed down his inflamed cheek.

"Alright, Lenne. I'll stop, but only in order to save Yuna. Once I'm done with that, however, I'll take care of you, Shuyin!" Tidus pouted as he stood up. Lenne slightly laughed at their immature actions, while Shuyin sat up, smiled back at Tidus, and quickly fell deep into his own little dream world. Tidus then began to walk away, but right before his whole body exited the protective barrier, he turned back around, and faced Lenne. "Um, how exactly am I supposed to save Yuna, Lenne?"

"Well, I thought that you knew everything, Tidus. Just kidding! Anyway, in order to return Yuna to her normal state, you must proclaimed your love for her, and if it is in fact, a true and complete love, Yuna's soul will be exorcized from the fiend's body, and she will be fine. However, if that love is false and tainted, her soul will forever remain in that fiend body, and you will mostly likely never see the real Yuna again. It's just a risk that you must be willing to take if you wish to save her soul, and that is the only thing you can do." Lenne instructed.

"But how exactly do I prove my love for her? Do I have to write a poem or something mushy like that?" Tidus asked as if he was as clueless as a newborn baby.

"Well, it's whatever you think would work on her. I'm not in love with Yuna, so there is no right or wrong answer in this matter, but I can give you some advice. Whatever you choose to do or say, Tidus, it must come from deep within your heart, or nothing will happen. At any rate, you must hurry, however, because my magic is quickly running out. If that happens, then I can no longer hold up this barrier, and since Shuyin is too weak from possessing you all of that time to fight, we would be totally defenseless against Yuna's attacks. It's basically left all up to you, Tidus! You must save Yuna!" Lenne exclaimed as her face glowed up with hope and trust for her old friend. Tidus then gently nodded back at her, with both confidence and fear bursting through his eyes. She then kissed Tidus on the cheek, handed him Shuyin's sword, and pushed him out of the barrier, back into the battle zone. The fiend, once known as Yuna, noticed the familiar blond-haired fellow walking towards her, and began to charge towards him like an enraged ram. She then arrived in front of Tidus, and right before her mighty claws reached his chest, he blocked her with his sword, and threw her back onto the ground.

"Yuna, you must stop this assault! I know that you probably want to rip my heart out or something along those lines right now, but you have to hear me out! After I was brought back to live on the Farplane, I met up with my ex-boyfriend, Shuyin, and my old classmate, Lenne. Later on, I told both of them that I had fallen in love with a beautiful summoner, and that I was brought back to life by her kindness and devotion towards me. This statement infuriated Shuyin, for he was secretly planning to rekindle our burned-out relationship. That same night, Shuyin confronted me, and when I refused to become his lover once again, he decided to possess my body, and thus began Shuyin's plan of totally destroying my life by becoming me. I tried many times to push his soul out of my body, but his ghostly powers were too much for me, and that is why I was unable to stop him from performing his dastardly deeds. I'm so sorry, Yuna, for any pain that Shuyin might have caused upon you, and I hope that you can forgive me. Please, don't go on like this!" Tidus cried out in vain as Yuna then dusted herself off, and leaned uncomfortably close to Tidus's chest. She then placed her claws on top of his head, and gently stocked his hair.

"Well, this is rather shocking. I'm not sure that I can believe your story, but I know that you are not the kind of person who would make up a lie this absurd. You're not that clever. In any case, if your confession is indeed true, then I no longer have any desire to kill you." Yuna smirked as she slowly let go of Tidus's hair, and walked away.

"Well, since everything is settled now, how about we all go for a bite to eat? That should settle both our nerves and our stomachs!" Tidus chuckled nervously as he wiped the sweat from his face off with his black shirt. _"Hey, that was rather easy, but why isn't she turning back? Did I do something wrong?" _Tidus thought to himself as he suddenly acquired an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Crash! A few seconds later, Tidus jumped 100 feet into the air, and once he landed back down to Spira, he noticed Yuna pounding her sharp talons away at the magical barrier. Lenne laid frozen with fear next to Shuyin, who was still sleeping from before. Tidus then dropped Shuyin's sword, jolted over to the barrier, and began to try to pull Yuna away using his own hands. Yuna then swiftly turned around, and slashed him across his left cheek. Blood then dripped down Tidus's face like a leaky faucet, but the attack did not seem to faze him, for he was still able to fight. Eventually, he was able to grab Yuna by the waist, and he then carried her away from the barrier. Yuna then tried to escape from Tidus's grasp by repeatedly scratching him across his arms, but Tidus withstood the attacks, and sat Yuna down upon a pile of rubble. "What in the world do you think you are doing, Yuna? I thought that we were all clear about this?" Tidus yelled as he stood before the enraged fiend.

"We were all clear about what, Tidus?! I told you that I wasn't going to kill you, but I never said that I was going to let Shuyin go without getting the proper punishment that he deserves, now did I? He messed up both of our lives, so don't you think that karma should come into play now? Shuyin took both Rikku and Paine's lives, so it only seems fair that he should die now, so why did you stop me? Are you trying to protect him or something? Do you love Shuyin more than me now?" Yuna roared as she stood in front of Tidus, with her talons pointing straight at his heart.

"No! That's not the case, Yuna! First of all, both Shuyin and Lenne are already dead, so you cannot murder them, no matter how hard you'd try, and secondly..." Tidus paused as he fixed his gaze upon the ceiling of the dome. _"What am I going to do? I still love Shuyin, but at the same time, I feel the same way for Yuna. I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, but this whole fiasco has to stop now! Well, there is only one option. I have to do what Lenne told me earlier, which is to act in accordance to how my heart truly feels. I have to save Yuna, so I will do whatever is necessary, even if that makes my soul weep. Here goes nothing, and everything..." _Tidus then took a deep breath, and stared back upon Yuna's frustrated face. "The truth is that...I no longer love that creep! How could I, after everything he put me through? Shuyin is a no-good, dirty, rotten, two-timer, and the only one that I truly care for is you, Yuna!" Tidus proclaimed as he grabbed Yuna closely towards himself, and kissed her, even knowing that she was a fiend. _"I'm sorry, Shuyin, but this is what I had to do. I hope that you understand, my friend."_

A few seconds later, a bright, yellow light began to shine through Yuna's body as Tidus backed away from her. Her hair began to shrink back to normal, the wings slowly began to dissolve, her talons became regular nails again, and the fur that once covered Yuna's entire body shredded away into the wind as the de-transformation began. Eventually, the fiend that once terrorized them all turned back into the simple person known as Yuna, and fell into Tidus's arms. Just then, Lenne emerged from within the barrier, along with a reawakened Shuyin, and the two of them both ran over to Tidus. "You did it, Tidus! I knew that you could! Now, hand Yuna over to me. She's in pretty bad shape, but I still have enough magic left in me to heal her." Lenne cheered as Tidus placed Yuna within her arms. Shuyin then walked over to Tidus, and patted him on the shoulder.

"So, do you think that you made the right choice, Tidus?" Shuyin questioned as he took a cloth out from his pocket, and wiped the blood off of Tidus's face.

"Yes, I did, but it wasn't an easy decision. I hope that you are not too angry at me, Shuyin, for what I have done, but I just couldn't let Yuna's soul be swept away by that fiend." Tidus pouted as he glared down upon his feet. Shuyin then placed his hand underneath Tidus's chin, and lifted up his head. Tidus's clear-water eyes stared deeply into Shuyin's face as he smiled.

"You know what, Tidus? I think that you've finally grown up. Originally, you were the shyest little boy that I had ever met, but now look at yourself. You helped to save Spira, and gained a pretty gal to boot, which the old Tidus would have never accomplished in his lifetime. You have changed so much over the last 1000 years, and I'm very proud of you. You made the right decision, Tidus, so do not have any regrets about it, okay? And besides, how could I be angry with a face as cute as yours." Shuyin comforted Tidus as he rapped his arms tightly around Tidus's waist. "I'm so sorry, Tidus." Shuyin then kissed Tidus gently on the lips as they both cried tears of sorrow and joy.

"I wish that I had the power to freeze this moment in time, Shuyin. That way, we could be together forever." Tidus expressed as he hugged Shuyin back.

"Yes, I desire that ability as well, but we are not meant to be together, Tidus. Lenne and I will be leaving here shortly, and we will be unable to return." Shuyin replied as he slowly released Tidus, and walked over next to Lenne.

"Well, that shouldn't be too much of a problem! I can always visit you in the Farplane, right?" Tidus asked nervously.

"We're not going back to the Farplane, Tidus. Lenne and I decided earlier that we would sacrifice our souls for your two friends, Rikku and Paine, so that they would come back to life. It's the least we can do for you and Yuna after everything that happened. This way, you will be able to go on with your life as normal, while we can rest in peace knowing that you are happy once again." Shuyin avowed.

"You don't understand! I have already forgiven both of you, so you guys don't have to go through this! Besides, if both of you leave now, you won't be making me happy. Instead, you'll just be upsetting me, and I will be unable to go on in life! I need both of you in my life!" Tidus screamed out in vain.

"No, you do not need us around, Tidus. In fact, it seems that your life has gotten much better since we passed away. I know that you will miss us being around, but you must accept the fact that we are dead, and we do not belong in your world anymore. Also, you have made some great friends here in Spira, and I think that they will take good care of you from now on. Goodbye, Tidus, and may the rest of your life be filled with happiness and love." Lenne smiled as her body quickly began to sparkle different shades of blue and green. She then released Yuna from within her grasp, and placed her back down upon the dome's floor. Afterwards, Shuyin quickly whispered something into Tidus's ear, and then he, too, began to glisten various shades of blue and green.

"No! I don't want either one of you to disappear! I'm sick of people fading away from me, and I am not going to let you two obtain that same fate!" Tidus cried out, but both Lenne and Shuyin ignored him. Soon enough, both of their bodies began to float in mid air, and they eventually stopped over the ledge that both Rikku and Paine fell over. Multi-colored pyreflies then engulfed both of their bodies, and their true forms could no longer be seen. The pyreflies that emerged from Shuyin's and Lenne's bodies then slowly floated down the gorge, and disappeared from view.

A few seconds later, the pyreflies came soaring back up from the gorge, holding both Rikku and Paine's bodies. The pyreflies then safely landed their bodies upon the dome's floor, and dispersed back into the sky above. Yuna then got up off of the ground, and along with Tidus, walked over to Rikku and Paine, who were both slowly waking up. Yuna then toured off a piece of cloth from her tattered skirt, and bandaged up Paine's wounds, while Tidus gently sipped some water into Rikku's mouth. An eerie silence then covered the mouths of these four victims as they glanced at each other, not sure of who or what to believe in anymore. After everyone was able to stand up and walk again, the group departed from the dome, and began to walk back to the entrance of Zanarkand. "Hey, Yuna. Before we leave, do you think I can walk up that cliff? I want to see the sunset, and you know how pretty is it here." Tidus asked as he gently picked up Yuna's hand, and kissed it.

"Sure, but just be quick, okay? Paine and Rikku are still really weak, and we have to get them home, so don't stand up there all night." Yuna requested as Tidus nodded and then ran up the tiny cliff. The sky was light pink in color as the stars and moon began to light up the sky.

"_Well Shuyin, what an adventure you put us through this time, eh? I never would have expected you to go that far in order to regain my love, but I wouldn't have expected any less from you, either. I just wish that things would have worked out for us, but maybe it is better off this way. It upsets me that we will probably never see each other again, but true love never fades away, my friend, at least that's what I was told..." _Tidus thought to himself as he took one final look at the sky, and ran back over to his friends...


	11. Epilogue: The Waters of Life

Please Note: I do not own Square Enix or Final Fantasy X-2. All characters are copyrighted to Square Enix.

Also, do not read this if you do not have any background on the plots in Final Fantasy X and X-2, or if you do not want the games spoiled for you.

This is just a little side story that I decided to save for the Epilogue instead of adding another regular chapter to the fic. This story takes place a few months after Shuyin and Lenne disappeared. Please, enjoy the Epilogue, and thanks go out to Jeana for inspiring me. Later!

_"Where am I? Everything around me looks dark, and I feel weightless. Wait, I'm underwater! I gotta get my ass to the surface before I drown. Oh no! Why does the surface seem so far away? Am I moving at all? I doubt it, and if I can't get out of this water, I'm surely going to die! Huh, a hand is reaching into the water? Should I trust it? Well, I guess I really don't have a choice in the matter. However, this hand does look familiar. Is that you, Shuyin? Shuyin!"_

"Tidus, are you ready to go? We have to hurry up, or else our spot is gonna get taken!" Rikku shouted as she knocked on Tidus's door. Tidus's eyes then began to slowly reopen as he breathed heavily. _"Hm, that was just a dream, but it felt so real. I guess that I can't keep you out of my thoughts for long, Shuyin."_

"Hello! Tidus, are you even awake yet?" Rikku asked as she opened Tidus's door.

"Sorry Rikku, but I guess that my alarm clock never went off. It must be broken or something. I'll try to not make you late next time we venture out, okay?" Tidus apologized as he got out of bed and put on his shirt. Rikku then blushed as she tried not to watch Tidus getting dressed.

"That's alright, silly! I was only joking with you! We're already at Kilika Island, and Yunie and Paine are already setting up camp. However, you don't look so hot yourself. Is something wrong?

"Oh great, I must really look horrible. All of us are supposed to have fun on this camping trip, and I look all depressed. She must think that I'm still upset over the events at Zanarkand a few months ago. I still am, but that's not it. That dream must have really gotten to me, but I'm not going to let that dream prevent me from enjoying some quality time with my friends!" Tidus thought to himself as he tired to make himself look more presentable.

"No, nothing is wrong with me. I just had a nightmare, that's all. I'll get over it. Anyway, why don't you help me carry some of this crap outside, and then we can start having some fun?" Tidus smiled as he began to pick his bags up. Rikku nodded, and helped him with his stuff. Eventually, they reached the exit of the ship, and onto the sands of Kilika Island. The sky was an exceptional shade of blue that day, and the ocean's waves gently hit the rocks on the shore.

"Wow, we picked the perfect day to go to the beach!" Rikku exclaimed as she dropped Tidus's bags, and began to dance on the soft sand.

"Yeah, it is, isn't it? It's almost like are in a dream, for it doesn't look real. However, we do have some work to do first before we begin to enjoy ourselves…" Tidus grumbled, but Rikku just kept dancing, and totally ignored him.

"She'll never learn. Just let her go, Tidus. Anyways, how about I help you instead?" A mysterious voice remarked. Tidus then looked behind himself, and found Yuna, slowly picking up his bags.

"Yuna, you don't have to do that for me! I was just joking around with Rikku, that's all. I can take my bags to the tent, honest!" Tidus pleaded with Yuna as he picked up the rest of the bags.

"Stop making me feel like I don't need to do any work around here, Tidus. Everyone has to do their share, or else nothing will ever get done! Anyways, I figured that I would help you carry these bags, because you need all the time you can get in order to complete your next task." Yuna lectured as she and Tidus walked over towards the tent.

"Which is what, Yuna?" Tidus questioned.

"Well, you're going to have to cook everyone dinner, of course." Yuna giggled as the two of them arrived at the tent, and placed his luggage inside.

"Great. Just great." Tidus sarcastically remarked as he trudged along the beach, and over to the grill." _"I am a horrible cook, so why would she put me up to this task? Is she trying to make me look like an idiot or something?" _

"Of course, you won't have to do all of the cooking by yourself. I'll be here to instruct you." Paine smirked as she walked over to Tidus. "As long as you do everything I say, everything should go smoothly."

"And what if I don't listen to you, Paine." Tidus pouted as he put on an apron that was lying beside the grill.

"Then you shall feel the wrath of my sword, fool!" Paine roared as she cowered over Tidus. Tidus then curled himself up into a little ball, and rolled away from Paine.

"Ha, you're so easy to fool. Of course I wouldn't do anything like that to you, Tidus, as long as you stay on my good side." Paine winked as she dragged Tidus back over to the grill.

"Yes ma'am, whatever you say." Tidus replied as he and Paine began to prepare the food.

A few hours later, the two of them finally completed their task. The meal consisted of one hamburger per person, a large serving of Sprian fries, and a small can of soda pop. Tidus and Paine then served the meal, and everyone began to pig out. After everyone was done with the main meal, Tidus then served everyone a piece of homemade chocolate cake, with rainbow-colored sprinkles over the vanilla icing. "Wow! That was a great meal, guys! You should cook for us more often!" Rikku cheered as she finished her piece of cake.

"Yeah, you really overdid yourselves this time. Congratulations on not destroying dinner." Yuna added.

"Well, I couldn't have made this meal without my loyal assistant, right, Tidus?" Paine declared as she looked over at Tidus.

"Yes ma'am, whatever you say." Tidus hesitated as he quickly finished his drink. Paine then got up, got behind Tidus, and playfully nudged at his head.

"That's a good boy." Paine proclaimed as everyone else began to laugh, Tidus included. Soon enough, however, night was consuming the sun's light, and it grew dark outside. After eating so much and working so hard all day, everyone got tired quickly, and decided to go to bed. Rikku and Paine both had separate tents, and Tidus and Yuna decided to share one together, in order to save space.

"So, did you have fun today, my love?" Yuna asked as she gently hugged Tidus inside of the sleeping bag.

"Yeah, for once, anyways. I'm glad that all of us were able to get together and spend time with each other." Tidus announced as he gently kissed Yuna on her cheek.

"Well, that's good. I wasn't sure that you could ever have fun again after what happened. I kinda thought that you might go into a deep depression, or something like that." Yuna added.

"Well, I don't think that I would have gone crazy or anything, but I was rather depressed for awhile. I mean, losing one friend is tough enough, but two at the same time? I felt like my heart was going to burst. If it wasn't for you and the other girls, I might have not even survived. Thank you so much, Yuna, for your support over the last few months. I don't know what I would do without you." Tidus stated, but he then looked at Yuna, and noticed that she was already fast asleep.

_"Wonderful. Was I really that boring? Or was it that she was really tired. I'm hoping for the later. At any rate, I feel restless, so I think that I'll go outside for awhile."_ Tidus thought to himself as he got out of the sleeping bag, and out of the tent. He then walked over to the shore, and placed his bare feet into the ocean. _"Water. Boy, doesn't that bring up some memories? Anytime that I'm around water, I think of you, Shuyin, for some odd reason. Maybe it is because we played Blitzball in the water together, or maybe it's because we always used to chill in the hot tub together, but I don't know. Maybe there is a deeper connection that I'm not seeing clearly, but whatever. I'm not worried about that right now."_ Tidus thought to himself as he gazed at the stars above.

Just then, a strong wave hit the shoreline, and caused Tidus to trip and fall flat on his face. He then tried to pick himself up, but another strong wave came, and kept him under the water. He tried to escape the water's grasp, but the current was far too strong, and Tidus lost the fight. Eventually, he was dragged out far into the ocean, and into deep, dark waters. _"How in the world did I get out here? The ocean current isn't usually this strong, so how could I have gotten pulled out this far? Wait, this is exactly what happened in my dream! Then, if I remember correctly, a hand should appear. Where is it? Ah, there it is! Now, I shall finally found out who this is!"_ Tidus thought to himself as he shut his eyes, and grabbed tightly onto the hand. The hand then lifted Tidus out of the water, and into the air. Tidus then opened up his eyes, and noticed that he was floating in mid-air, and being held up by a being covered in a blue cloak. "Who are you, and why have you dragged me all the way out here?" Tidus questioned as he spat the salt water out of his mouth.

"You really don't recognize me, Tidus? Well, how about I remove this cloak then, and we shall see if you remember me." The being replied as he ripped off the cloak with his other hand. The being then revealed to be Shuyin, however, he was dressed differently. He was wearing a deep blue shirt, black pants, and a necklace around his neck that looked very similar to Tidus's, except it was gold instead of silver.

"Shuyin, it's you, but how can it be? I thought that you sacrificed yourself along with Lenne in order to bring Paine and Rikku back? How can you still be around?" Tidus asked as he looked at Shuyin.

"Well, funny how things work out, eh? Anyways, I wasn't expecting to be around, either, but it just so happened that a few pyreflies that were in the dome never disappeared when Rikku and Paine were brought back to life. Those pyreflies then floated off into the ocean, and were able to recreate my body. However, since the pyreflies created me in the water, I have to stay by water in order to exist. I would have contacted you earlier, but you just weren't around any water." Shuyin concluded as pulled Tidus close to his body, and hugged him.

"Does that mean that Lenne is back as well?" Tidus debated as he gently felt Shuyin's hair.

"Unfortunately, no. It seems that the pyreflies that were left over were originally from my body, and all of Lenne's disappeared. However, aren't you glad that I returned, Tidus?" Shuyin replied as he stared deeply into Tidus's eyes.

"Of course I am happy that you are back. In fact, I am more than happy, I'm ecstatic. My heart has been aching every second since that day, but now that I know that I can see you again, my heart has filled up with joy. However, I don't think that I can hang around with you, Shuyin, for Yuna would not approve." Tidus sulked as tears poured down from his eyes.

"Who cares what that wench thinks? You have to follow your heart, Tidus, and do what you think is right. Don't let other people push you around! And besides, this can be our own little secret. She doesn't have to know, and no one else does, either, my love." Shuyin consulted Tidus as he wiped the tears from Tidus's eyes.

"You know what, Shuyin, you are right! I am not going to let other people decide on how I can live my life! It's my preogative to do whatever I please, and all that I want to do right now is be with you, Shuyin!" Tidus screamed as he kissed Shuyin. The two of them then blissfully floated over the ocean, and enjoyed each other's company. Eventually, they reached the shoreline, and Shuyin set Tidus down onto the sandy beach.

"Now, whenever you want to see me, Tidus, all you have to do is say my name into the water. It doesn't matter where the water is, just as long as its water. Once I hear your cry, I will be right by your side, and we can do whatever you want to." Shuyin explained as he smiled back to Tidus.

"That's cool with me. How about we meet up sometime tomorrow? The girls are probably going to be out shopping, so I'll be home alone." Tidus implied as grinned as widely as a canyon.

"Sure thing. I'll definitely be there." Shuyin confirmed as he then floated away from the shoreline, and back into the ocean.

_"Well then, this is quite a surprise. I thought that I would never get to see Shuyin again, but I guess that I was wrong. It's going to be tricky trying to juggle between him and Yuna, but I think that I can do it. At any rate, this is the beginning of one fabulous adventure!"_ Tidus thought to himself as he then got himself cleaned up, and went to sleep in the tent, dreaming of his newly discovered lover…


End file.
